Featured Event! 

The Impact of Local Authors Writing for the LGBTQ+ Community: Thursday, June 30 at 7pm. We're closing out Pride Month with this exciting local author panel! Meet your favorites and discover new reads. Local authors are the backbone of the writing community and those writing within and for the LGBTQ+ community are especially important. Join us for a conversation with Bren Bataclan, Anna Burke, Federico Erebia, Jane C. Esther and Sarah Jean Horwitz as they discuss their books, their writing, and the impact they have on readers of all ages!

Why should kids and teens have all the fun? 

This year we are inviting you to participate in our Summer Reading Challenge for Adults! It will run from June 13 - September 5. Accept the challenge by reading five books over the summer that fit the categories selected by our Librarians. 

Pick up your challenge packet at one of our public service desks starting on June 13. Complete the challenge and be entered to win a gift card to a local business! Join the fun and READ this summer!

Programs for Adults

Going Local - Following Your Ancestors Home: Monday, June 27 at 6:30pm. Familiarizing yourself with local resources available near where your ancestors lived, as well as knowing what is available to you locally, can prove invaluable to your family history research.  Ginny Audet, our resident genealogist, will discuss how to uncover these hidden gems.    

Cooking Live With Chef Bill: Wednesday, June 29 at 5pm. Cook along or watch as Chef Bill prepares a different dish live on Zoom each month. In May he'll be cooking up Baked Fish and Chips! Check back for the list of ingredients and instructions. 

Hydroponic Mason Jars: Thursday, June 30 at 7pm. Curious about hydroponics? Start experimenting with this soilless growing system using only a few basic supplies! We’ll set up a hydroponic mason jar, chat about what hydroponics is and how it can fit into your gardening plans.

Coming Up for Adults

The Fascinating Life and Legacy of Massachusetts Dinosaur Pioneer Edward Hitchcock: Tuesday, July 5 at 7pm. Author Robert T. McMaster will discuss his latest book, All the Light Here Comes From Above: The Life and Legacy of Edward Hitchcock.  A native of Deerfield, MA, Edward Hitchcock (1793-1864) was one of 19th-century America's most influential scientists. A geological pioneer, he was the first State Geologist of Massachusetts, the first American geologist to publicly embrace the theory of continental glaciation and the first scientist to unearth evidence of dinosaurs in North America. 

Make Tiny Hats for Cats: Thursday, July 7 at 7pm. Join us for a whimsical program where you’ll learn to craft tiny hats for cats! Assemble three fun paper crafts for your pet to enjoy as stylish accessories or as toys. (Note: All pets should be monitored when playing with the crafts and crafts should be discarded if damaged.) 

Hoopla, Kanopy & Libby: Friday, July 8  at 11 am. Get an introduction to our three most popular library eResources so you can start accessing books, music, movies, and more from home.

Apply to Exhibit Your Art at the Newton Free Library!  

Proposals are currently being accepted for January - June 2023 exhibits. As one of the busiest public library buildings in Massachusetts, our galleries are highly sought after and well-loved by library patrons. We welcome applications from New England region artists showing two-dimensional works, or works that are compatible with the Walker Rod system. 

We encourage artists from a variety of ethnicities and life experiences to apply.

Click for application instructions

Art Shows and Displays on View June 2 - 29

LIGHTSCAPES by Matt Reynolds: Gallery. Matt Reynolds’ photography is all about capturing a location in the best light possible. He presents the world through his own eyes, trying to convey his emotions at the time of capture. His unique custom framing presents these images with dimension and nothing between the print and the viewer. Visit Matt's website or email him at [email protected].

Boston and Cambridge Scenes by Conor Plunkett: Main Hall. Conor Plunkett, appreciates the beauty of Boston and Cambridge architecture. Using technical drawing pens, black India ink on white Bristol vellum surface paper, his works are characterized by intense attention to detail and the dramatic use of light, dark and cross-hatching techniques. Connect with Conor on Facebook or email him at [email protected]. 

Main Hall Display Cases: 

Find out about the new Waste Disposal Bans, put in place by the Massachusetts DEP, and how it will impact Newton starting this fall.

Atrium Display Case One:

June 19th is celebrated as the anniversary of when enslaved persons in parts of Texas first learned of their liberation in 1865. 

Atrium Display Case Two: 

Gender and Sexuality Awareness (GSA). Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Newton South High School’s  group, our nation’s first such organization in a public school.